The present invention relates to a method for controller development for motor vehicles.
For controller development in the vehicle, a fundamental distinction is drawn between the program version and the data version of the respective controller.
The program version is what is known as the software framework and contains all instructions for the operations to be performed, such as the addition of two signals, the multiplication of a signal by a fixed value or the writing/reading of signals to and from the bus system, for example.
The data version contains what are known as application labels, such as, inter alia, the aforementioned fixed value, for example, and therefore allows the controller software to be matched to a specific vehicle. Typical examples are the matching of physical vehicle parameters such as mass, wheelbase, stiffnesses or the fine tuning of character-shaping functions, such as the gas pedal interpretation, for example.
The development process draws a significant distinction between the program version and the data version. To enhance synergies, attempts are made to keep the same program version locally for as long as possible over many projects, what is known as building block software. This increases tuning complexity and the duration of development loops. The reason is that any change must be confirmed by numerous bodies or escalation levels.
By contrast, data versions are project-individual by definition and can normally be changed without any overhead even at late project times.
With building block software, that is to say the conventional functional framework, a conflict of objectives arises in this case: either the set of building blocks contains only the strict overlap between all projects involved, in which case the individual requirements of the individual projects need to be incorporated as what are known as balcony solutions, or the set of building blocks contains the union of all projects. In this case, unused content must have input data disabled, which wastes resources.
It would therefore be desirable to provide an option that provides an improved building block solution.
It is an object of the invention to provide an option that avoids or at least reduces at least some of the disadvantages known in the prior art.
This and other objects are achieved according to the invention by a universal modeling method for a motor vehicle, the universal modeling method involving: provision of an input signal set, the input signal set having those signals of applicable sensors of the motor vehicle that may be relevant for controlling apparatuses of the motor vehicle, selection of a modeling signal set from the input signal set, on the basis of a system architecture of the motor vehicle, and determination of an output signal set by a time-discrete selective state space model modeling function taking into consideration the modeling signal set. In this case, the output signal set acts as a signal set for actuating applicable actuators of the apparatuses of the motor vehicle.
The method steps can be performed in automated fashion in this case.
A signal within the context of the invention may be a magnitude sensed by a sensor that can be converted into an electrical value.
In this case, control of an apparatus of the motor vehicle within the context of the invention means a process that results in actuation of an apparatus of the motor vehicle. Preferably this involves apparatuses that can influence the driving behavior of the motor vehicle.
In this case, a system architecture of the motor vehicle within the context of the invention may be model formation for the motor vehicle, particularly model formation for the motor vehicle apparatuses that can influence the driving behavior of the motor vehicle.
In this case, an output signal set within the context of the invention may be a number of electrical signals, which may be a result of the universal modeling method. In this case, this electrical signal set can act as an input variable for one or more actuators of one or more motor vehicle apparatuses. In the simplest case, the output signal set can have merely one electrical signal, the value of which has a different value than a zero signal. However, the output signal set can also have the same dimension as the input signal set. In this case, all output signals that are not needed can be set to zero.
The teaching according to the invention achieves the advantage that a universal option can be provided for a modeling method for manipulated variables of actuators of a motor vehicle. Hence, the universal modeling method can be used for any motor vehicle types and motor vehicle models.
Before configurations of the invention are described in more detail below, it should first of all be noted that the invention is not limited to the components described or the method steps described. In addition, the terminology used is also not a restriction, but rather is merely exemplary in nature. Where the description and the claims used are singular, this always also includes the plural, unless the context explicitly precludes this. Any method steps can, unless the context explicitly precludes this, be performed in automated fashion and in any order.
In accordance with a first exemplary configuration of the method, the universal modeling method further involves the state space model modeling function having a motor vehicle mode function. In this case, the universal modeling method further involves determination of a motor vehicle mode of a motor vehicle for the motor vehicle mode function, and in this case the determination of the output signal set is effected taking into consideration a result of application of the modeling signal set to the motor vehicle mode function.
In this case, a motor vehicle mode function within the context of the invention can mean a function that can map a particular operating state of a motor vehicle. By way of example, a motor vehicle mode can mean vibration damping for a motor vehicle. In this case, functions that can map the gears, the clutch statuses, starting and the like can be used. In this case, everything together can form an applicable motor vehicle mode function for vibration damping for a motor vehicle.
This configuration has the advantage that different modes of a motor vehicle can be mapped using the same method and hence relevant apparatuses of the applicable motor vehicle can be actuated.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the state space model modeling function further having a reference system function that corresponds to a motor-vehicle-specific reference system of the motor vehicle, and in this case the determination of the output signal set is effected taking into consideration a result of application of the modeling signal set to the reference system function.
In this case, a reference system function within the context of the invention can mean a function that can be used generally as a reference for a motor vehicle. Such a function can also have a group of functions.
This configuration has the advantage that a motor vehicle can be mapped in complex fashion as a mathematical function, which means that the model formation for the motor vehicle can be more accurate.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the state space model modeling function further having an observer system that has an estimated system response of the motor vehicle. In this case, the determination of the output signal set is effected taking into consideration a result of application of the modeling signal set to the observer system.
This configuration has the advantage that the model formation for the motor vehicle can be even more accurate.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the input signal set furthermore having a zero signal.
In this case, a zero signal within the context of the invention may be an electrical signal that can act as a zero value. By way of example, the zero signal can, in the event of it being available as a voltage, correspond to a reference ground potential or a zero potential. If the signal is embodied as a current, for example, then the zero signal can have the value OA, hence be currentless. The zero signal can be used as a reference variable for the universal modeling method.
This configuration has the advantage that a reference variable can be used for the universal modeling method, which means that the signals can have a lower tolerance. This means that the method can be more accurate.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the selection of the modeling signal set from the input signal set involving zeroing of those signals from the input signal set that are not needed for the modeling signal set. In this case, the zeroing is effected by means of the zero signal such that the signals from the input signal set that are not needed for the modeling signal set correspond to the value of the zero signal.
This configuration has the advantage that signal errors can be reduced.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the determination of the motor vehicle mode being effected by way of an association table of the system architecture of the motor vehicle.
This configuration has the advantage that it is therefore a simple matter for a particular motor vehicle mode to become mappable from a system architecture of the motor vehicle.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the observer system having a physical system description of the motor vehicle.
In this case, a physical system description within the context of the invention can map the physical response of the motor vehicle. Physical variables that can identify the physical response may in this case be, by way of example, descriptions for an acceleration response, a traction, and the like, of the motor vehicle to be modeled.
This configuration has the advantage that the universal modeling method can use even more accurate maps of the physical circumstances of the motor vehicle.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the determination of the output signal set involving application of the result of the application of the modeling signal set to the motor vehicle mode function, of the result of the application of the modeling signal set to the reference system function and of the result of the application of the modeling signal set to the observer system to a control function. In this case, the control function acts as part of the discrete-time selective state space model modeling function.
In this case, a control function within the context of the invention may be a function that can provide one or more applicable controllers for the modeling signal set.
This configuration has the advantage that control can be provided for a motor vehicle apparatus or multiple motor vehicle apparatuses of the motor vehicle.
In accordance with a further exemplary configuration, the universal modeling method further involves the modeling signal set for the determination of the result of the application of the modeling signal set to the motor vehicle mode function having a difference from the modeling signal set for the determination of the result of the application of the modeling signal set to the modeling function. This is effected by means of a different selection of the signals from the input signal set for the respective modeling signal set.
This configuration has the advantage that individual modeling signal sets may be usable for the motor vehicle mode function, the reference system function and the observer system. Hence, the universal modeling method can generate even more accurate results.
The invention therefore allows a universal modeling method to be used in order to map arbitrary motor vehicle modes of motor vehicles and to perform applicable control for applicable motor vehicle apparatuses.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.